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USF appears set to hire Tom Allen as defensive coordinator

 
Mississippi llinebackers coach Tom Allen celebrates with the team mascot during a 2012 game. [Associated Press]
Mississippi llinebackers coach Tom Allen celebrates with the team mascot during a 2012 game. [Associated Press]
Published Dec. 16, 2014

TAMPA — Ole Miss linebackers coach/special teams coordinator Tom Allen, whose Tampa roots run nearly a quarter-century deep, is expected to be named USF's defensive coordinator as early as today.

ESPN.com's Derek Tyson, who played for Allen at now-defunct Temple Heights Christian School and later was an Armwood quarterback when Allen served as Hawks defensive coordinator, reported the hire Monday morning.

The Tampa Bay Times reported Friday that Allen had interviewed for the job.

"I rejoice with him. He's a brother," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze told reporters Monday afternoon in Oxford. "You hate to lose good people but man we rejoice with him that he's getting an opportunity to advance his career."

Allen replaces Chuck Bresnahan, dismissed this month after his unit regressed sharply from 2013. USF (4-8) ranked 71st nationally in total defense (402.8 ypg), twice surrendering 589 yards — 1 shy of the program record for one contest.

"One of the best men I know, and that I've ever known," said Jesuit coach Matt Thompson, Allen's defensive line coach at Armwood in 1995 and '96. "That's a quality hire right there."

An Indiana native, Allen has spent the last three seasons at Ole Miss, but has worked for Freeze at various stops since 2008. He has coached All-SEC linebackers Denzel Nkemdiche and Serderius Bryant at Ole Miss, currently first nationally in scoring defense (13.8 ppg).

Former colleagues describe Allen as an intense worker deeply passionate about his coaching and Christian faith. Thompson can't remember hearing Allen curse on a sideline.

"He's devout, like Tim Tebow," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "There is nobody on this planet that could say anything bad about Tom Allen, that's for sure."

A 1992 graduate of Maranatha Baptist University in Wisconsin, Allen was coach at Temple Heights for parts of three seasons (1992-94) before joining Callahan's staff at Armwood for two years.

He then moved back to Indiana and eventually became coach at Indianapolis power Ben Davis High, compiling a 25-12 record from 2004-06.

His previous college coaching stops also include Arkansas State, Drake, Wabash (Ind.) and Lambuth (Jackson, Tenn.). As defensive coordinator at Drake in 2010, he led a unit that finished 36th nationally in Division I-AA in total defense (330 ypg) and sixth against the run (94.2 ypg).

"His knowledge is great, but so much more about it than X's and O's is his passion and relationship-building," said Strawberry Crest coach John Kelly, who played for Allen at both Temple Heights and Armwood.

"It's getting college and high school kids to believe in themselves and play to the best of their ability. In high school, we would've done anything for him because we loved him."

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Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.